


The Consequences of War

by newyearsstreamers



Series: Small Amounts [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, Mutually Unrequited, POV Sokka (Avatar), POV Zuko (Avatar), Past Mai/Zuko (Avatar), Past Sokka/Suki (Avatar), they love each other but both think the other doesn't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:27:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25008451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/newyearsstreamers/pseuds/newyearsstreamers
Summary: Sokka knows that he would rather die than confess an unrequited love to the esteemed new leader of the Fire Nation. He would rather die than confess an unrequited love to his friend.So Sokka knows he will not.Zuko knows that he would rather die than confess an unrequited love to one of the world’s saviors. He would rather die than confess an unrequited love to his friend.So Zuko knows he will not.Such are the consequences of war.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Small Amounts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1812373
Comments: 16
Kudos: 298





	The Consequences of War

**Author's Note:**

> i got the idea in the shower last night and then i just wrote this in like 30 minutes so hopefully it's better than that implies
> 
> i also didn't proofread it so hopefully it's clear/doesn't have mistakes
> 
> also someone help me with the tags lmao i have no idea what tags to use for this

In war, there is little time for anything else. No time for most of the little things, the tiny misadventures, lest you allow yourself to forget that there is a war. Then you allow yourself to let your guard down. Then you allow yourself to be ambushed. Then you allow yourself to be killed.

Sokka knows this well.

The war allowed all of his Tribe’s waterbenders to be captured, tortured, killed.

The war allowed his mother to be killed protecting her daughter. The last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe.

The war allowed his father to abandon his children to fight the enemy.

The war allowed his best friend, the Avatar, to become the last of his kind. The last airbender in all of the four nations.

Sokka knows, however, that sometimes it might be okay to let his guard down.

Letting his guard down allowed him to meet Suki. The leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. His on-again, off-again girlfriend.

Sokka knows that, sometimes, it’s okay to let yourself forget there’s a war and to simply have fun.

Having fun allowed him to meet Toph. The greatest earthbender in the four nations, and the creator of metalbending.

Sokka knows that trust is a limited thing in war, and it should be doled out sparingly. One could never know who each person fought for. One could never know each person’s method of fighting.

Distrust had allowed him to save a Fire Nation village from the Freedom Fighters. From Jet.

Distrust had allowed him to be wary of Zuko’s first attempt to join their team. The decision seemed right.

Sokka does know, however, that sometimes there is no choice but to trust.

Trust had allowed him to believe Aang could defeat the Fire Lord and end the war. Aang defeated the Fire Lord. Zuko ended the war. He was right.

Trust had allowed him to believe Jet knew where Appa had been. Jet had believed he knew where Appa had been. He was wrong.

Trust had allowed him to be less than wary of Zuko’s second attempt to join their team. Zuko joined their team and proved to be a valuable ally. The decision was right.

Sokka knows that it might be okay to love.

Love had allowed him to pursue his relationship with Suki. His on-again, off-again relationship.

Love had allowed him to save Toph in that final battle.

Love had allowed him to trust in Katara’s abilities as a waterbender.

Love had allowed him to follow Aang into the clutches of the evil Fire Lord.

Love had allowed him to believe he could keep his village safe.

Sokka does not know about Zuko.

The war allowed Zuko to try to capture them over several months. He hated Zuko.

Letting his guard down allowed Zuko to sneak into Appa’s saddle and accompany him to the Boiling Rock. He liked Zuko.

Having fun had allowed him to convince Zuko to see _The Boy in the Iceberg_ with the rest of their group. He liked Zuko.

Distrust had allowed Sokka and his friends to keep their distance from Zuko over the first several months. He hated Zuko.

Trust had allowed Zuko to become one of the group, one of the _friends_ Sokka admired. He liked Zuko.

Love?

Sokka does not know if he loves Zuko.

Sokka knows he likes Zuko. As a friend.

_As more than a friend?_

Sokka knows he likes Zuko. As more than a friend.

Love?

Sokka knows he loves Zuko.

Love?

Sokka knows that there is no chance Zuko loves him. _As more than a friend._

Sokka knows there is no time in war for anything but war. But now that the war is over, things should be different. _Right?_

Sokka knows he has almost died several times over the past year. Sokka thinks that, hopefully, the next time he has an experience with death, it will be his own.

Sokka knows that it’s okay to, occasionally, have fun. To, occasionally, enjoy the little things.

Sokka knows that, to him, Zuko isn’t a little thing.

Sokka knows that he would rather die than confess an unrequited love to the esteemed new leader of the Fire Nation. He would rather die than confess an unrequited love to his friend.

So Sokka knows he will not.

Such are the consequences of war.

****

In war, there is little time for anything else. No time for most of the little things, the tiny misadventures, lest you allow yourself to forget that there is a war. Then you allow yourself to let your guard down. Then you allow yourself to be ambushed. Then you allow yourself to be killed.

Zuko knows this well.

The war allowed his people to kill an entire nation of people.

The war allowed his mother to be banished for protecting him. The Prince of the Fire Nation.

The war allowed his father to teach his children to be cold, obedient, powerful. Evil.

The war allowed his friends to become his enemies.

Zuko knows it is never okay to let his guard down.

Letting his guard down allowed him to believe speaking out was okay. His father taught him why it was not.

Letting his guard down allowed him to believe Zhao would never find out about his alter-ego of the Blue Spirit. Zhao blew up his ship to teach him that that was not the case.

Zuko knows it is never okay to let yourself forget there’s a war and start having fun.

Forgetting the war had allowed him to forget who his real enemy was. The pirates had changed their minds on the trade, and Zuko forgot about his real enemy long enough for the real enemy to steal a ship.

Zuko knows that trust is limited. Zuko knows that there were few people.

Distrust had allowed him to escape from Azula’s first attempt to capture him. Iroh’s distrust of Azula.

Distrust had allowed him to let Appa go. Zuko’s distrust of himself.

Zuko does know, however, that sometimes there is no choice but to trust.

Trust had allowed him to join the Avatar in order to do what he thought was good. He was right.

Trust had allowed him to believe he was dueling a general. He was wrong.

Trust had allowed him to believe he and Katara could defeat Azula. He was right.

Zuko thinks it might be okay to love.

Love had allowed him to return home after the Avatar was pronounced dead. False love.

Love had allowed him to be assisted in escaping the Boiling Rock by Mai. Real love.

Love had allowed him to be happy with the Avatar’s team. Real love.

Love had allowed him to survive when his mother left. Real love.

Love had allowed him to be friendly with Azula. False love?

Love had allowed him to help Katara confront her mother’s killer. Real love.

Love had allowed him to be taught by his uncle. Real love.

Love had allowed him to be accepted after accidentally burning Toph. Real love.

Zuko does not know about Sokka. 

The war had allowed him to be Sokka’s enemy for months. He hated Sokka. 

Letting his guard down had allowed him to watch a play with Sokka and their friends. He liked Sokka.

Distrust had allowed him to be rejected by Sokka the first time he tried to join their team. He did not know how to feel about Sokka.

Trust had allowed him to become Sokka’s unlikely friend. He liked Sokka.

Love?

Zuko knows he likes Sokka. As a friend.

_As more than a friend?_

Zuko knows he likes Sokka. As more than a friend.

Love?

Zuko knows he loves Sokka.

Love?

Zuko knows there is no chance Sokka loves him. _As more than a friend._

Zuko knows there is time for little in war. But now that the war is over, things should be different. _Right?_

Zuko knows he has almost died several times over the past year. Zuko thinks that, hopefully, the next experience with death he has will be his own.

Zuko knows he has almost been responsible for Sokka’s death several times over the past year. Zuko knows he has almost been responsible for the death of Sokka’s friends several times over the past year.

Zuko knows Sokka knows he has changed.

Zuko knows that it’s occasionally okay to enjoy the smaller things in life. Zuko knows that, to him, Sokka is not one of the smaller things.

Zuko knows that he would rather die than confess an unrequited love to one of the world’s saviors. He would rather die than confess an unrequited love to his friend.

So Zuko knows he will not.

Such are the consequences of war.

**Author's Note:**

> hope y'all enjoyed!!
> 
> okay someone said i should do a second part so i think i'm going to do that. it's not going to be added here, but i'll have it separate and just make it like a mini series? so yeah be on the lookout for part 2 if you liked this one. :)


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